Conservation & Ecology


In his latest article on conservation and ecology, James Hutchinson, Environmental Officer at The St Andrews Links Trust, heads eleven miles inland from the Old Course to visit Kingarrock, where golfers play with original hickory clubs from the 1900s, and hit softer, rubber-wound balls on a 9-hole course in a serene setting that makes the most of fine views and a rich natural environment


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The golf course is of the nine hole parkland variety, which is maintained by four mowers, two of which are trailed gangs - one for fairways and the other for the rough


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Hill of Tarvit mansion house and the Kingarrock Golf Course


uddled within the Fife countryside is a golf club which uses no pesticides or fungicides. The fertiliser applications are minimal, but the wildlife is


plentiful. The National Trust for Scotland run Kingarrock Golf Course, which is more famously known as ‘Kingarrock Hickory Golf’. On arrival, you are able to learn about the


history of the Hill of Tarvit mansion, which watches over proceedings, and guided through the families past and how they came to build a golf course on their land. However, the history, and its interesting consequent antiquity, is not the reason I visited on this occasion, nor was it to play golf. On arriving at the greenkeeper’s


maintenance facility, you can’t help but notice the semi ancient sweet chestnut tree which I guess is approaching the 250 year mark, possibly more, or the amount of woodland birds which seem to be quite domesticated and inquisitive. Another thing which is instantly noticeable is the passion for the environment and wildlife which oozes out of the chap I went to meet, Owen Browne.


PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 I 111


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